To the Ambassador of Ashkabat

Through the US Embassy in Ankara

Your Excellency,

We would like your assistance as the ambassador of a country, which protects democracy and human rights in the world.

My name is Nazar Bayhanov, who was born in 1964 and who is a national of Turkmenistan. I currently reside in Ashkabat. I would like to draw your attention to the present human rights violations in Turkmenistan, to painful realities currently experienced in prisons in Turkmenistan and to arbitrary arrests. My elder brother Akmuhammet Bayramovich Bayhanov was arrested on June 18, 2003 and although totally innocent, he was sentenced to five years in prison in line with the 120/1 article of the Turkmenistan Criminal Code at a closed trial on September 13, 2003. Akmuhammet Bayhanov is currently held at the 12th prison in the Turkmen town of Seydi in Lebap province since his transfer in February 2004. Although the detention center is not a closed prison, officials do not allow us to meet my brother Akmuhammet Bayhanov for a very long time. They said that the reason for not allowing us to visit my brother was that Akmuhammet Bayhanov was twice locked up in a cell. When he was in the cell for the second time, Akmuhammet Bayhanov was subjected to torture and as a result, his spine was damaged.

All ill treatment including torture, solitary confinement, beatings, threats and belittling acts, which my brother Akmuhammet Bayhanov is subjected to, is done at the personal orders of Turkmenistan’s president Niyazov. The reason is in fact the assistance sought by the relatives of Akmuhammet Bayhanov from international human rights organizations to correct the injustices done to Akmuhammet Bayhanov. I was warned or rather threatened by officials of Turkmenistan’s National Security Ministry on December 18, 2003 that if I informed the world public opinion and international organizations of the human rights violations against Akmuhammet Bayhanov, his situation would worsen. The current developments reveal that they translate into life their threats.

My younger brother Dowlet Bayhanov asked the help of all international human rights organizations through the Freedom Radio in the beginning of April. Following this, our brother Akmuhammet Bayhanov has started to be treated even worse.

I know that not only my brother Akmuhammet Bayhanov but also other prisoners at Turkmen detention centers are subjected to ill treatment and I can personally inform the pertinent international organizations of these conducts.

I urge you not to misunderstand my application to you. I only ask your help regarding my brother Akmuhammet Bayhanov, who was arrested although he was innocent and who is experiencing a grave situation in the prison. We totally believe that you will be of help in our struggle at international platforms to prove Akmuhammet Bayhanov’s innocence.

Yours sincerely,

Nazar Bayhanov, telephone number : +99 312 48 89 88 / 48 89 80 Ashkabat, Turkmenistan

Dowlet Bayhanov, telephone number : +90 312 490 87 26 (home) +90 535 567 35 72 (mobile)

14 May 2004